The contract is part of a federal effort to help farmers and distributors through the pandemic.

Dallas-based Borden Dairy will supply 700 million milk servings to nonprofit organizations starting Friday under a federal coronavirus-relief program designed to get food and produce to needy families.

Borden won the $147 million contract from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its Farmers to Families Food Box Program, the company said Tuesday.

Under the program, the USDA is buying up to $3 billion in fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat from regional and local distributors hurt by the pandemic-related closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses. The products are boxed and distributed to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other nonprofits.

Borden will supply milk for Texas and 15 other states in the Southeast, Southwest and Midwest.

“Borden applauds the USDA for taking this monumental step to ensure that Americans have convenient access to nutrition during this difficult time in our nation’s history," said Borden CEO Tony Sarsam in a statement. "This USDA contract allows Borden to exponentially grow our coronavirus relief efforts that are already underway.”

The privately owned dairy company founded in 1857 filed for bankruptcy in January but is continuing to operate. Borden anticipates exiting Chapter 11 protection this summer, said spokeswoman Adrienne Chance.

Borden employs 3,300 workers at 12 milk processing plants and nearly 100 branches across the U.S. It produces and distributes nearly 500 million gallons of milk annually.

Paul O'Donnell, Business Editor. Paul directs the work of an award-winning staff covering business news in the nation's fourth largest metro region. He's been The News' business editor since 2015. Before that, he was editor-in-chief at the Dallas Business Journal and business editor at the Cleveland Plain Dealer.